Formula Superfund cancels first round

[Kicking-back]

The first round of Formula Superfund, scheduled for Brno on May 1 has been cancelled.

Apparently it will now start "later in the year."

I suspect - and hope - this means the series doesn't make the light of day at all.

Common sense is breaking out!

[DEADDUCK]

Where did you hear this?

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

The first round of Formula Superfund, scheduled for Brno on May 1 has been cancelled.

Apparently it will now start "later in the year."

I suspect - and hope - this means the series doesn't make the light of day at all.

Common sense is breaking out!

Kicking-back:

I'm seriously convinced that you use this forum to bash Formula Superfund and convince all people who read it to close this series, that you consider redundant. If the organization of Superfund series is too bad let the teams who want to be involved in it to check if it's real, and then they would make their choices.
If you were that worried to close "mediocre" series, why don't you wrote your ideas to make, e.g. your idolatred Formula 3, more affordable? There are many teams involved in motorsport who could it seriously but they're forced to stay because the costs are prohibitive. For example, the Argentinian teams who did Southamerican F3 (Furlán/Saúl Lui, Werner) and are now retired or doing Argentinian Formula Renault because they skipped SAF3 because they are in serious disadvantage against Cesario and NasrCastroneves and other Brazilian teams, no matter that now is the 'advantage' of the common use of the more powerfuld and affordable Berta F3 engines in this series since this year.

[Kicking-back]

I am not a "basher" of Formula Superfund.

I have criticised the series, yes, but that is from my concern that the sub-F1 single seater scene was becoming too crowded.

Something had to give - as there are simply not enough drivers with budgets to support so many categories.

GP2 has done well in signing up quality drivers - and my pleasure if Superfund isn't going to run is simply that we will have a clearer defined single seater scene with less poorly-supported series.

[Mekola]

And what's your concerns about F3000 Italia and F3000 ProSeries??? It's better to can them too to make clearer the way of F1 feeders?
If GP2 would be THE best choice for F1-feeders, then why they limited the entries to only 12 teams (with the paradox that after that all people are talking about unemployment)???

You can see my point here: I'm completely against very limited number of seats in F1 or their formula feeder system. I prefer to see teams like Andrea Moda again instead crying to not to see too many drivers in F1, or GP2. That's why 1999 is one of my favourite F3000 years.

[Kicking-back]

GP2 was limited to 12 teams so there is some value in having a franchise for the series.

The Italian F3000 series are largely going to have drivers who wouldn't be near the professional ladder anyway, so I don't see them damaging anything.

[bella]

i actually agree, i think you're talking nonsense on the gp2 vs superfund debate.

the market isnt crowded at all. it will only be crowded when in 2 years, the grid numbers in both series don't add up to 30 between them.

i really don't think it's wise to be bashing this series at all, it's providing an alternative for those who aren't stupid enough/don't have the cash to take part in gp2.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

EuroF3000/Superfund gives people a place to race and a series that provides entertaining racing. Good enough reason for it to exsist if you ask me.

I just want to watch racing, I'm not concerned about the politics or looking down on 'lesser' series because at the end of the day it will balance itself out regardless.

[SALEEN S7R]

I too am sad to hear this, would be sad IMO to have Formula Superfund crash and burn before the series even gets off the ground. Lets just hope that the series does now go ahead and start in May at Brno. Theres no real need, or indeed any point in bashing Formula Superfund KB. As for the single seater ladder being over crowded, u do make me laugh. Sure in 2004 this may have been the case, but now in 2005 u have after F1, F2 and Formula Superfund, and then below them the world series by Renault and Formula Nippon. And then of course below that all the various F3 championships.

[Asp]

Originally Posted by DEADDUCK

Where did you hear this?

Yeah, is there any more information about the reasons for this change too?

[Lisboa]

I'm very very surprised to read sometimes words like "the best way to F.1". This is advertising for people that doesn't know motor-racing, and not for this forum, i hope! The way for F.1 is the talent (60%), the money (20%) and the luck (20%). Massa come in from Euro3000, Raikkonen from Renault Uk, Klien from Euro F.3, Button from British F.3 and so on. THERE IS NOT A WAY FOR F.1, but there are drivers and good condition for come in F.1.

[Ian Sowman]

Ultimately it is division on the way up the racing ladder that damages our sport. The fewer alternatives on the ladder, the better.

[Gabrio]

I've been observing for a while the posts in this thread. What the heck happened to "attack the post and not the poster?".
Furthermore, after many years in motor racing, I do understand KB's concern about lower formulas.
IMHO the source of the problem is in the rulebook. A few years ago you could not access the higher spheres of motorsport without results and you could not get an A license, even less a superlicense. THAT has changed. If we were to go back on merit and results only, selecting drivers would certainly be easier. That said, the multiplication of formulae dose not help to understand the levels of talent.

[Mathias]

Have to say I've got a boot in KB's camp. The number of European international level single-seater championships is too high, and the structure is weak. The number of career drivers (i.e. those who aspire to, and more importantly have the talent to, get into F1) and the amount of sponsorship money available to them is too small for the number of big, expensive, international series. Also, the greater the number of series, the less likely it is that a talent spotter from a higher series will be around to properly assess the new talent. And the less likely a series is to be covered properly in the media. And so on.

Sure, there are plenty of drivers, but with big, expensive, international series, you're more likely to get a high proportion of slightly less talented, but individually wealthier drivers - the type often (incorrectly) called "pay-drivers", but which I prefer to call "gentleman drivers" - taking seats away from the real talent and pricing them out of the market. I think all this just muddies the waters, and makes single-seater racing less interesting and less attractive for the punters.

And what's worse now is that because the key F3 series have gone all international on us, and so more expensive. For many drivers the choice is not obvious, especially with GP2, Superfund, EuroF3 and British/International F3, plus the various old F3000 incarnations, and the World Series. And yet there's nothing really at a National level that's left to grab the headlines for people who don't have that quantity of cash to spend.

IMO, the more European series that fail this year the better - and hopefully next year someone will put the effort into doing a decent set of relatively inexpensive national series to replace the (as I now see it) too-big-for-its-boots F3.

This year Oi will be mostly watchin' Formula Renault, Oi reckon.

[Mr Jinxx]

That's the nub ... not that there's too many championships, theyre just so expensive. There are plenty of great drivers out there, mentioning no names at all, to fill several championships, but they don't have the money to compete in these crazily-priced championships. How on eaarth can anyone justify backing a driver for 2 or 3 years in Formula 3 at half a million UK pounds a year??? For what return? I have absolutely no idea, but I do know that it has always been thus (maybe more extreme now as politics, nationality, race and creed etc play more of a part in driver selection, so there's no point moaning and trying to invent new ladders. One way or another the absolute top ones will get there, even if the top of the tree is now so very very narrow as it's shared with so many pay drivers. C'est la guerre

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Mr Jinxx

I do know that it has always been thus (maybe more extreme now as politics, nationality, race and creed etc play more of a part in driver selection, so there's no point moaning and trying to invent new ladders.

I've been looking at F2 from the 70s recently, and it doesn't appear that budgets were excessively high back then, taking inflation into account.

On the other hand, there were a lot of drivers who never did a full season, just turned up to four or five races a year - and were probably doing the occasional sports car race as well.

They knew they weren't going to win the title, they just wanted to go racing in something reasonably high profile, so doing the full season didn't matter.

The trouble now is that the same type of drivers have somehow got it into their heads that if they did do the full season, maybe they could win the title...

[Mr Jinxx]

Wonderful days <sigh>

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Mr Jinxx

Wonderful days <sigh>

You're showing your age!

[Mr Jinxx]

Regrettably it's showing all by itself. Anyone want a mullet haircut?

[Kicking-back]

Just noticed this story is reported in the Thursday 13 January edition of Autosport.

[newoutsider]

Re 70's F2 budgets. Think on this - in the 60's a lot af 'middling drivers' actually earned a living from START MONEY in F3, trailing their own car around Europe with an old Estate, or Van and a mechanic or two. How times change

[Mr Jinxx]

PRESS RELEASE

Formula Superfund to intensify pre-season research and development programme

The Formula Superfund series will start in 2005 but not on the scheduled date of 1 May 2005. To ensure that all objectives are met for the first season, the management has decided that an intensified test and development programme must be completed before the first race. The new start date will be announced no later than May 2005.

The decision comes following a significant delay in the research and development programme after a crash in the December test in Estoril. This caused valuable time to be lost for chassis repairs which delayed the production cycle.

The Formula Superfund management will implement a more extensive testing and development programme in the pre-season preparation to make up for lost time. The programme has two objectives. Firstly, in accordance with Formula Superfund’s self-imposed requirement, it is to ensure the newly-designed SF-01 achieves maximum development before the season begins. Secondly, it increases the emphasis on keeping costs low for the teams, whilst not compromising on the quality of the race car.

Formula Superfund has also assumed direct control of the car production, development and supplier liaison and is moving all parts of the development to Austria.

Martin Schneider, Head of Motorsport Development:
“We have imposed the highest technical standards on the SF-01 and safety, reliability and low costs are the priorities. The SF-01 fulfils the brief to be an extremely powerful and safe race car, with 650 hp and a top speed exceeding 300 km/h. However our stringent technical requirements have not yet been satisfied and we are not prepared to issue the chassis until the most rigorous test programme has been completed. Equally it is fundamental that the teams can operate on a reasonable budget and so we cannot permit expensive shortcuts. We have no doubt that all the objectives will be achieved and the series will start once the programme has been completed.”

Niki Lauda, three times Formula 1 World Champion:
“I agree with and support the Formula Superfund organiser’s decision to put the priority on technical and safety development. It makes no sense to risk errors because the car development wasn’t completed in full, even if it means delaying the start of the season.”

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by Mr Jinxx

...so there's no point moaning and trying to invent new ladders. One way or another the absolute top ones will get there, even if the top of the tree is now so very very narrow as it's shared with so many pay drivers. C'est la guerre

I rarely like to contradict you Mr Jinxx, but here I must. I believe it is incumbent upon the powers that be to ensure that motor-racing makes sense and offers value for money. I don't believe that either applies to anything from A-class F3 upwards. I really honestly believe that if we want to attract serious media attention to motorsport, and hence serious sponsorship money, there does need to be a clear structure that says thay such-and-such a series is the one to watch, and not have all these F2 wannabe series competing for the same extremely limited funds and media attention. What's the point of having world-wide governing bodies, for crying out loud, if they don't seem to be governing the sport?

Nor do I believe that the absolute top ones will get there. If "there" is F1, and for most drivers it is, then why do so many frankly average drivers fill the F1 and F2 equiv grids every year when there are so very many extremely talented drivers around who deserve places there so much more?

I always used to argue that if a driver is any good he/she will attract the necessary sponsorship to compete at the highest level appropriate to their ability, but that clearly isn't the case because there isn't enough sponsorship money to go around. This is at least partly because the series are too expensive, and partly because sponsors don't want to put money into a one series that is competing with so many others.

Rant rant rant etc

[Kicking-back]

So, realistically - if Superfund don't announce when their first race is until May, is anyone going to race in it?

I find it hard to believe that one crash of the test car could cause such huge problems.

I wonder if this will go the same way as other series that "delayed" their launch - SCV8, Premier 1 etc.

[Gabrio]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

So, realistically - if Superfund don't announce when their first race is until May, is anyone going to race in it?

No. Nor would I.....Furthermore can anybody explain to me who Superfund is and how they find the money to sponsor so many things, including motor-racing. I have to admit I did extensive research and still haven't figured it out.....